Alabama’s REACH Act, now law, offers young people a second chance to earn their diploma.
By Matt Woods
Rep. Matt Woods represents Alabama’s House District 13.
As students, we all remember the emphasis our teachers and administrators placed on finishing high school and getting our diplomas. Today, most people assume that everyone has a high school diploma, but the reality is that some students still drop out.
We all know that dropping out of high school is truly a fork-in-the-road moment. For many, it was the moment that their prospects took a turn for the worse. Dropping out increases the likelihood of poverty, criminality, and lifelong instability.
Dropping out should not be a life-ending decision. Make no mistake: the best route to success will always include a high school diploma. However, that does not stop us from developing alternative routes for young people who made a rash decision or were victims of circumstances outside their control.
The state of Alabama has two major reasons for ensuring that students who drop out have a pathway to finishing their education and starting a career. First, it is simply the right thing to do. Oftentimes, these students feel hopeless and believe they have no options.
Our education system should take a holistic approach because every student’s situation differs. We should develop as many pathways as possible for our young people to achieve the American Dream.
Secondly, as policymakers, we are constantly working with business leaders to address our state’s labor force participation rate by implementing various workforce development initiatives.
By giving these young people options, we can vastly increase their likelihood of becoming productive members of society. As a state, we can’t afford to let young, healthy individuals leave the labor market.
That’s why I sponsored the Restoring Advancement of Completing High School Act (REACH) and am proud to say that it has now been passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law.
Working with the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), we developed a solution that ensures students know they have a second chance. The REACH Act enhances ACCS’s non-traditional high school diploma program for students who leave school without completing their graduation requirements.
The REACH Act lowers the age of eligibility for the program from 19 to 18 and requires the State Department of Education to share information about students who have dropped out with ACCS so that these students do not slip through the cracks.
The REACH Act requires that students be informed about non-traditional high school diplomas and other adult education programs during their exit interview as part of the dropout process.
It is important to note that the non-traditional diploma meets the same standards as a traditional one and qualifies students for admission to any two-year or four-year public college in Alabama.
Our very own Chancellor Jimmy Baker of the Alabama Community College System put it well:
“Anyone willing to do what’s necessary to better their situation shouldn’t be held back by an unfortunate event or decision made during their teenage years. One of the best parts of Alabama’s community colleges is that we meet our students where they are, and the REACH Act will allow more students to take advantage of the Alabama High School Diploma Option (HSDO) Program offered through the ACCS Adult Education Division,” said Chancellor Baker.
Baker continued, “In 2024, more than 300 students earned their high school diplomas through the HSDO program. These recipients have become more employable in Alabama’s workforce and will earn a higher wage than they would with a GED. This is what making life better for Alabamians is all about.”
Passing the REACH Act is not just about changing policy. It is about giving people a real second chance. Dropping out does not have to mean the end for young people. Providing them with alternative pathways to become productive members of society is in their best interests and ours.
With the REACH Act now signed into law, Alabama is taking an important step. We are not giving up on students who left school too soon. We are giving them a reason to come back.
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